From the 2023 season onwards, cruise ships will be able to call at the Port of Aarhus, connect to shore power and keep their engines running on electricity while the ship is docked in the Port. This will eliminate pollution from ships while they are stationed in Aarhus.
The decision to invest in a shore power facility should be seen as part of the Port of Aarhus’ wider sustainability strategy which aims to make the Port the most sustainable in the Baltic Region.
Attracting shipping companies
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Port of Aarhus, Thomas Haber Borch calls it a necessary investment, both for the residents of Aarhus and as a way of attracting more shipping companies who have converted their ships to draw shore power in an effort to be more sustainable.
We are still faced with the uncertainty of where the cruise ship market is headed"
Thomas Haber Borch said, “Like a lot of others, we are still faced with the uncertainty of where the cruise ship market is headed, but at present so many companies have registered trips to Aarhus for 2023 that it might well be a record year for us in terms of cruises.”
Drawing shore power
Thomas Haber Borch adds, “And we also believe that being able to offer shore power will give us a financial edge in the coming years. At the same time, however, we are well aware that the future may offer an environmentally friendly ship fuel that could lead to shore power being phased out long term.”
Thomas Haber Borch notes that only some cruise ships are currently capable of drawing shore power. And speculating on how many will be able to connect to the shore power facility at Mellemarmen in the years to come is far from easy. There is, however, a trend towards the majority of cruise liners that stop at Aarhus either being in the process of converting to shore power or drawing up plans to convert.
